Oct 30, 2015

Sheet masks are among my favorite skincare products. What's not to like about a mask that only needs you to put on a soothing sheet dripping with skincare goodness on to your face and relax? There is no washing, rinsing, cleaning up after use with these asks, and they are so easy to use, I try a mask or two every other week. Among the many that I have tried, I have had a pretty good run so far with the ones from the Masque Bar by Look Beauty range. Look Beauty masks are quite inexpensive and are available in Target as well as on Amazon. The range includes quite a few interesting masks (a hydrating foot mask and a fun lip gel mask), but my favorites have been the face masks. I have previously tried out the Masque Bar by Look Beauty Apricot mask - perfect if you are looking for a quick boost of radiance to the face - and I recently got the chance to try out another of their face masks - Masque Bar by Look Beauty Cucumber Face Mask. Scroll on for more photos and my thoughts on this revitalizing and hydrating face mask.

Oct 29, 2015

Wearing Lancome Drama Liqui-Pencil Longwear Eyeliner in Noir Intense along the lashline, waterline.MAC Brown Script eyeshadow all over the lids.

I love a good black eyeliner, so I was quite prompt with picking up a mini-size Lancome Drama Liqui-Pencil Eyeliner in Noir Intense as a Sephora GWP. Lancome claims to combine the intense color payoff of a liquid liner with the convenience of a pencil in a smooth, creamy formula that stays on for 24 hours without budging or fading. With my short time of trying out this pencil, I definitely have to agree on the long-wear claims. I checked out other colors in the range at my local Sephora and got some swatches to share. There are a quite a few colors ranging from a matte white to deep blacks and everything in between, and none of them have the chunky glitter or shimmer that is the one I thing I don't like about some of the Urban Decay pencils. Scroll on down for a mini review and swatches of the Lancome Drama-Liqui Pencils.

Oct 27, 2015

I am sure I had pretty good skin at some point, but for the longest time - starting from my college days - my skin has been going through bouts of breakouts, either acne or reactions to products. It took me quite a bit of time and trials to get to a skincare routine that works for my skin, and while my skin is relatively well behaved now, I still have a lot of blemishes left behind. I also have dark pigmentation around deep-set eyes so I end up looking like I have really dark circles. Needless to say, a good foundation-concealer routine is an essential for me, and over time, I have learnt that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the concealers I can use. I get better results using specific concealers to target each skin concern, and while it might seem like using too much product, in fact, with a bit of patience and some pinpoint application, there's less product used and a more "naturally flawless" effect to the skin. Scroll on for a quick look at my concealer wardrobe and how I apply concealers for a flawless fall makeup routine.

Oct 20, 2015

Autumn has always been my favorite season. I love the fresh cold air and the beautiful fall colors on the leaves, but what I have been finding a bit inconvenient is the lack of light! I have quite a few houseplants, and the windowsill is now prime real estate with stiff competition over which lucky few get to call it home for the next couple of months. Of course, good looks always help, and some orchids and a nonstop blooming African violet have already snagged spots there. The beautiful flowers do add a lovely splash of color to the otherwise grey, drab days. The same has been working for me in terms of makeup. It's the time of the year I tend to reach for richer colors, and while I have never really embraced the vampy dark lip, I do wear a lot of pinks and berries this time of the year. My makeup last weekend was just that - a pink-berry lip and a navy liner. After numerous failed attempts, I have given up on the winged liner, but of late, I have been extending out the liner just a tiny bit to help give a slightly more elongated look to my eyes. It's simple makeup that is perfect for a cool fall day, and here's a quick makeup how-to.

Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme is the new counterpart to the existing versions of Tom Ford Noir for men. It is inspired by the Tom Ford woman and her mix of confidence and vulnerability, and everything from the gold and black packaging to the rich perfume inside is a reflection of this. The bottle design is elegant and classy with a grooved pattern all over the black bottle as well as the gold cap.

The perfume is described as a sensual, floral-oriental, but the first spritz opens with a blast of citrus notes that smell fresh and green. As the perfume settles down, warmer floral notes open up and mix in with a hint of sweetness from the vanilla. There is a creaminess to the perfume, which I assume is the Indian kulfi (a creamy thickened milk dessert similar to icecream) accord. On my skin, this perfume is warm and smokey with just a hint of sweetness to it. Once the initial citrus blast dies down, the perfume morphs into a smokey, warm mix of vanilla and amber with the woody basenotes keeping it from smelling too sweet.

Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme Eau de Parfum is a bold, strong fragrance. It's the kind of perfume that I love to wear, especially for the cooler winter months, A little goes a long way with it, and the fragrance lasts a good while on my skin. Definitely one of my favorite perfumes this year. Pick this up if you like warm, spicy fragrances with just a hint of creamy sweetness.

Links provided in the post are for information only and are NOT affiliate/sponsored links. Review based on a Sephora sampler.

One of the many holiday makeup sets to pop up this time of the year is the Marc Jacobs The Sofia Le Marc Lip Creme Collection - a set of 5 petite-sized lipsticks with colors ranging from soft peony to deep dark berry. Marc Jacobs lipsticks are generally quite amazing in the formula and color range, so to snag 5 of these in travel-friendly sizes and a pretty clutch to house them all is a must-have in my opinion. Individually, the lipsticks are definitely small - similar to what you would get as a deluxe sample in GWPs or Sephora point perks, but I rarely use up a regular-size tube of lipstick, so for me these are perfect sizes to have, and I get a bunch of different colors to try. Scroll on for more photos and swatches.

Oct 13, 2015

Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con No. 20 Plush Eyeshadow palette (named The Free Spirit after model Charlotte Free) is a new, limited edition release from the brand and features 20 shades of shimmery metallic, buttery matte, and lusturous sheen eyeshadows. The shadows are housed in a large shiny black compact, and while it's almost square shape makes it look larger than the usual long sleek compacts, I prefer this shape and the extra-large mirror it comes with. The eyeshadow formula uses advanced pigments to allow the rich colors to show up vibrant and last longer. Here's a look at the swatches.

Oct 12, 2015

Fall/winter makeup collections are my favorites, and almost every brand comes out with amazing holiday gift sets this time of the year. I spotted the Bobbi Brown Holiday 2015 Makeup Collection - Sterling Nights - at my local Nordstrom and got some photos and swatches to share. Inspired by the star-sprinkled night sky, this collection brings in deep smokey shades, metallic shimmer, and rich colors. It includes some of the usual Bobbi Brown products like a neutral eyeshadow palette and lipsticks, but there are some lovely new products in this collection like the new Bobbi Brown Sequin eyeshadows and 3 new face highlighters. Scroll on for more photos and swatches.

Marc Jacobs fragrances are among my favorites, and I love the easy-to-wear fruity floral fragrances as much as I love the beautifully designed bottles that house these perfumes. The newest launch from the brand, Decadence, combines both these aspects with a luxurious, sophisticated design and a warm, sensual fragrance. The perfume bottle is designed to resemble a purse with a deep green python print cap and a gold chain adorned with black tassles. This edgy bold design is matched by the perfume it houses - a warm woody fragrance that is indulgent and luxurious.

Oct 8, 2015

I love trying out face masks, and sheet masks are a favorite of mine because they are just so easy to use. The mask I am reviewing today is a sheet mask for the lips - Skintreat Spa by Look Beauty Intensive Lip Care Gel Patch. While Look Beauty does make some interesting masks (like this foot mask), I have to admit I was quite intrigued by the idea of a lip mask. I did a bit of looking around on the internet, and apparently, these sort of masks are quite commonly available in Asia, but it is new to me. This is a gel-based mask enriched with moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, cranberry extract, jojoba oil and vitamin E and claims to intensely hydrate and soothe dry, cracked, chapped lips and add long-lasting moisture to the lips. Scroll on for more photos and my thoughts on this fun lip mask.

Dead Sea water and minerals have long been considered to have amazing health and skincare benefits, and while the best ways to enjoy these benefits would be to take a trip to the Dead Sea, for most of us an easier option would be using products that contain Dead Sea minerals and/or water, and one such brand is AHAVA. AHAVA products claim to use a perfectly balanced concentrate of Dead Sea minerals - Osmoter - that effectively replenishes, rehydrates, and recharges the skin. Their products are also paraben-free, allergy tested, and approved for sensitive skin (as well as free of GMOs). I recently got to try out products from the new AHAVA Cactus and Pink Pepper collection. Common to all the products is the pretty pink packaging and the fresh floral scent that they all leave behind on the skin. Scroll on for more photos and my thoughts on this range.